Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-12-06
the mission Of our people or the high and benecent


purposes of our Government.
nave deemed it my duty to thus bring to the
attention Of their representatives. charged - with m
19e resgonsioility OF legislative relief the gravity
OF our financial situation. The failure OF the Con-
which it was quite evident thevery nature Of the
dimculty must necessarily produce caused q con-
YOUR last aiStress ch ana since
an tne authority and expedients within executive
S0n1Ioi; and these appear now TO be exhausted II
longs.
Though the situation thus far considered is
ized and though 1t presents features OF wrong TO
the people as well as peril to the country 1t is but
out Of and
alarming circumstances congested national
treasury and a depleted monetary condition in
stated that while the present situation demands
remedy, we can only be saved from a like pre-
dicament in the future by the removal Of its
Our scheme for taxation, by means of which this
needless surplus is taken from the people and put
duty levied upon importations from abroad, and
lnternai-revenue taxes levied upon the cOnsump-
tion OF tobacco and spirituOus and malt liquors
IL must De conceded that none OF the things sub
Jected TO fnternal-revenue taxation, are Strictly
speaking, neceSSarteS; there appears to be no Just
these articles and there seems ;Ie 1e be- nothns
well able to bear the burden without hardship to
any portion OF the people.
VICIOUS TARIFF LAWS.
But our present tariff laws, the vicious, ineQui-
table, and illogical source of unnecessary taxa
tion, ought to be at once revised and amended.
These laws, as their primary and plain effect,
raise the price to consumers of all articles i'm
ported and subject to duty. by precisely the sum
paid for such duties. Thus the amount Of the
duty measures the tax paid by those who pur-
chase for use these imported articles. Many of
however
In our own country, and the duties now levied
upon foreign goods and products are called pro-
render 1t possible for those Of people who are
manufacturers, to make these taxed articles and
sell sell them foT price equal to that demanded for
the imported goods that have paid custo IS duty.
so 1t happens that while comparatively q
few use the imported articles, millions OF
any Of the foreign products, purchase and use
things OF the same kind made In this country, and
pay therefor nearly or quite the same enhanced
Those who buy imports pay the duty charged
thereon into the public treasury, but the great
OF the same class, pay sum at least approx
mately equal to this duty to the home manufac-
turer. This reference to the operation OF our
in order that Se
the manner In which they impose burden upon
those who consume domestic products as well as
those who consume imported articles, and thus
Is not proposed to entirely relieve the country
Of this taxation. 1t must be extensively continued
as the source OF the Governments income; and In
read1ustment OF our tartn the interests Of Ameri-
can labor engaged In manufacture should be care
manufacturers man It may S be called prosection, or
by any other name, but relief from the hardships
and dangers OF our present tarin laws should be
devised with especial precautiOn against imperil-
ing the existence OF our manufacturing interests
But this existence should not mean q condition
which, without regard to the public welfare or a
national exigency, must always insure the reali-
zatiOn OF immense pronts instead OF moderately
profitable returns. As the volume and diversity
Of our national activities increase new recruits
are added to those who desire q continuation of
system Of tarifr taxation directly affords them.
present condition been resisted by those Of our
fellOw-citZens thus engaged, that they hardly
complain Of the suspicion, entertained to certain
extent, that there exists organized combination
all along the line to maintain their advantage.
..,s. CENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONS.
We are In the midst OF centennial celebrations,
and with becoming pride we rejoice In American
skill and ingenuity In American energy and enter
prise, and In the wonderful natural advantages
and resources developed by a century's rational
growth. Yet when an attempt is made to justify
a scheme which permits a tax to be laid upon
every consumer In the land for the beneft OF our
manufacturers, quite beyond a reasonable de-
mand for governmental regard, it suits the pur-
industries still needing the highest and greatest
degree OF favor and fostering care that can be
wrung from Federal legislation.
1t is also said that the increase In the price of
domestic manufactures resulting from the present
tariff Is necessary IN order that higher wages may
be paid to our workingmen employed In manu-
factories, than are paid for what Is called the
pauper labor OF Europe. All will acknowledge the
force of an argument which involves the welfare
and liberal compensation OF our laboring people.
Our labor Is honorable In the eyes OF every Ameri-
can citizen; and as 1t lies at the foundation OF
development and progress, It is entitled, without
The standard OF our labOrers' life should not be
measured by that OF any other country less fav-
Ored, and they are entitled to their full share Of
BY the last census 1t Is made to appear that OF
the II, ,392, ,O99 OF our population engaged in all
cr cnds OF n1s 5s are employed In agr
service, G. 934, ,876 OF whom domestic servants
and labOrers,l while 1,8lO.256 are employed In
as employed in manufacturing and mining
For present purposes, however, the last number
given should be considerably reduced. without
that there should be deducted from those which 1t
includes 375 Jas carpenters and 1oinerS 2s5, ,4Ol
nl,iiners dressmakers I and seamstresses, !72,72s
plasterers, and 1891 engaged in manufacturing
gate to l,2i4.oSs leaving 2,623, 1859 persons EN-
plOyed In such manufacturing industries as are
claimed to be benefited by high tarif.
plOyment and maintain their wages by resisting q
change. There should be no disposition to answer
BuCn SugRoSdOn6 Uy tn0 alleRaJlOn tnaC C0ey are
In minority among those who labor, and there
i0re should fOregO an advantage In the interest OF
low prices for the majority; their compensation,
as it may be effected by the operation OF tariff
laws, should at all times be scrupulously kept In
view; ana yet with slight reflection they will not
overlook the fact that they are consumers with
the rest; that they, too have their own wants and
those OF their families to supply from their earn
ings and that the price OF the necessares OF life.
as well as the amount OF their wages, will regu-
late the measure OF their welfare and comfort.
wORKINGARN TO BIZ PROTECTED.
But the reduction OF taxation demanded should
be so measured as not to necessitate or justify
either the loss of employment by the working man
nor the lessening Of his wages; and the profits
still remaining to the manufacturer, after neces-
sary readjustment, should furnish no excuse for
the sacrifice Of the interests OF his employees either
in their opportunity to work or in the diminution
OF their compensation. Nor can the worker in
manufactures fail to understand that while high
ment of remunerative wages, 1t certainly results
in very large increase In the price OF nearly all
sorts Of manufactures, which, in almost countless
forms, he needs for the use OF himself and his
family. He receives at the desk OF his employer
his wages, and perhaps before he reaches his home
Is obliged, In purchase for family use OF an artt
Gle which embraces his own labor, to return In the
payment OF the increase In price which the tartn
permits, the hard-earned compensation OF many
days OF toll
The farmer and the agriculturist who manu-
facture nothing, but who pay the increased price
which the tarth imposes, upon every agricultural
implement, upon all he wears and upon all he uses
and owns, except the increase OF his nocks ana
herds and such things as his husbandry produces